I Disappeared for Him to Regret Me

This was my eleventh year serving under Cassian Valcourt. Eleven years spent as his private bodyguard, his shadow that never left, the weapon he deployed without hesitation. And tonight, for the first time, I decided I was finished.

I pushed open the door of a small, hidden pharmacy tucked away on the citys south side. It was the kind of place people only went to when they didnt want their names remembered or their questions repeated. The fluorescent light above me buzzed and flickered, and the air smelled sharply of cheap disinfectant and dust. I placed a thick bundle of cash on the counter without saying a word.

The elderly pharmacist glanced at the money first, then at me. What are you looking for?

I need something that will make it look like Im dead, I replied.

For a moment, he just stared at me as though I had said something absurd, like I might suddenly smile and take it back.

I didnt.

With a tired exhale, he turned and disappeared into the back room. When he returned, he set a small glass vial in front of me, sliding it across the counter.

Fake death capsule, he explained. It gradually slows your pulse, weakens your breathing. By the fourteenth day, youll appear completely lifeless.

My fingers closed around the vial. And what happens after that?

If youre not buried, he said flatly, youll regain consciousness two days later.

A short, humorless laugh escaped me. That would be inconvenient.

His eyes lingered on me for a moment longer than necessary. Whatever youre running from it must be worse than death.

Outside, the snow struck my face the moment I stepped out, sharp and unforgiving like broken glass. I pulled my coat tighter and began walking back toward Cassians estate.

Eleven years.

My thoughts drifted, uninvited, to that winter eleven years ago. I was twelve then, and the world around me had already begun to rot. Hunger had turned people desperate. Families sold whatever they couldhomes, belongings, even children.

And I had been one of them.

A slave broker bought me for a thousand dollars. Not because I was valuable, but because my little sister was starving and I thought that if I vanished, at least she might survive a little longer.

Naive. Pathetic, even.

The broker never reached the city. A gang ambushed the convoy in the mountains. Snow turned red. Screams vanished into the wind. When it ended, there was nothing left but silence and bodies scattered across the white.

Everyone was dead.

Everyone except me.

I crawled through the snow with fractured ribs and hands too frozen to feel anything, thinking dimly that this must be how it endsquiet, cold, and alone.

Then headlights cut through the storm.

A black Rolls-Royce stopped in front of me. The door opened, and a boy stepped out.

Cassian Valcourt.

Fifteen years old, already a name feared across New Yorks underworld. He looked at me lying in the snow like I was something discarded.

Still alive? he asked, almost casually.

I forced my eyes open.

He crouched down, studying me with mild curiosity. Do you want to live?

I nodded violently, desperation spilling out of me. P-please I dont want to die.

He regarded me for a second longer, then stood. Put her in the car, he ordered his driver. Before turning away, he added, voice calm and absolute, Listen carefully. From this moment on, your life belongs to me. Understand?

I didnt hesitate. Okay.

That night, he gave me hot porridge, a heavy winter coat, and a knife pressed into my hands.

Youll need it, he said simply.

From then on, he trained me himself. Guns, blades, surveillance, killing without leaving traces. Years passed until people stopped calling me a person at all. In the underworld, I became Cassian Valcourts ghost.

And somewhere along the way, something inside me changedfractured without me noticing.

When did I start loving him?

Maybe it was when I was bleeding out on a mission and he stayed at my hospital bedside for three days without leaving.

Maybe it was the nights he taught me how to write properly, standing behind me, his breath warm near my ear as if I was something worth teaching.

Or maybe it was that charity gala last year, when someone drugged him.

He dragged me into his office afterward and pressed me against the wall.

Dont move, he said, voice rough.

B-boss youre not thinking clearly, I tried to say.

Dont call me that, he muttered, gripping my waist tighter.

His eyes were darktoo dark. And then he kissed me, like restraint had finally snapped after years of holding back.

After that night, we never spoke of it.

But he still came to my room sometimes. Quietly. Without explanation. Sometimes gentle, sometimes rough, like he was trying to burn something out of himself and I just happened to be there.

He never promised anything.

And I never asked.

Because who was I to him? A girl he found in the snow. A weapon. A secret.

Cassian Valcourt never belonged to anyone.

Until he brought her home.

I was in the hallway when he entered the mansion carrying a girl in his arms. At first, I thought nothing of it. He had saved people before.

But then she lifted her head.

My entire body went cold.

No.

It couldnt be.

Valeria.

My younger sister. The one I had believed was long dead.

He placed her down gently, and she looked around before her gaze landed on me.

She froze.

Elira?

Before I could even process it, she ran toward me and threw her arms around my neck. Sister! she cried, shaking. Its really you! I thought you were gone!

My hands trembled as I held her. Valeria youre alive?

I missed you so much, she sobbed. I searched everywhere for you.

I pulled back slightly. What happened? How did you survive?

She wiped her face quickly. After you disappeared, I lived on the streets for a while. Then a wealthy family took me in they raised me like their own. Her voice broke. But a few days ago, a gang attacked the house. Everyone died except me.

Her eyes shifted toward Cassian.

He saved me.

For a brief moment, warmth rose in my chestsomething dangerously close to hope. Maybe life was finally giving something back.

Then I looked at him.

And noticed it.

The way he looked at Valeria.

Soft. Attentive. Different.

My stomach tightened.

No. I told myself I was imagining it.

Wasnt I?

Cassian never trained Valeria the way he trained me. He never gave her weapons or told her to survive the way I had to learn. Instead, he surrounded her with tutorspiano, painting, languages, chess. Educators from New York and Europe came and went as if she lived in another world entirely.

Valeria feared the dark, so the mansion was filled with warm lighting wherever she went. She once mentioned liking pear blossoms, and within weeks, pear trees were planted outside her windows as if the world bent itself for her comfort.

I watched it all in silence.

Strange, isnt it? Eleven years of blood earned me obedience. A single smile earned her gentleness.

Then Valeria was poisoned.

It was Cassius Vale who did ita rival mafia heir known as the Third Prince of the underworld, his family controlling vast criminal networks along the East Coast. And everyone knew what kind of man he was.

Unstable. Dangerous.

He called Cassian directly. I was in the room when the call came through.

Your princess has been poisoned, Cassius said lightly, almost amused. But dont worry. I have the antidote.

Cassians tone remained even. State your terms.

Cassius laughed softly. Send me Elira. Your prized bodyguard. One month with her, and you get the antidote.

The room fell into silence.

Everyone understood what that kind of deal meant. No one who set foot inside Cassius Vales estate ever came back the sameif they came back at all.

My eyes shifted to Cassian.

Just say no, I thought. Thats all it would take. One refusal. One moment of choosing me.

Ill retrieve her in one month, he said, his voice flat and final.

No pause. No debate. No second glance.

Just that.

That month became the lowest point of my existence. Cassius didnt touch me in the way people usually imagined. In fact, he didnt need to. What he enjoyed more was watching people unravel piece by piece, as if suffering itself were an art form.

During the first week, he had me strapped to a metal chair. One by one, he pressed my fingers under a heavy crushing device meant for breaking bones. Not enough to sever them outrightjust enough to hear the sickening cracks echo in the room.

Youre well-known, Elira, he said, leaning in as if we were sharing a secret. I thought youd be louder than this.

My mouth was filled with blood when I answered, voice low and steady. Sorry to disappoint you. Im not here to entertain anyone.

He laughed like I had told him something genuinely amusing.

Another time, he locked me inside a cold storage room used for meat. No shoes. No coat. Just thin fabric and freezing air that sank into my skin until even pain stopped mattering and numbness took over. Hours passed like that.

Sometimes he would open the door just to look at me.

Still conscious? he asked one evening, almost conversational.

Unfortunately for you, I replied through cracked lips.

That earned me nothing more than a grin before he shut the door again.

But the worst came near the end.

They tied me down and forced my hands into a container filled with diluted acidjust strong enough not to destroy everything immediately, just enough to make it last.

The smell hit me first.

Then came the pain.

It wasnt just burning. It felt like my bones were melting from the inside while my skin tried to hold everything together. I bit down so hard I thought my jaw would break.

Cassius crouched in front of me, watching with bright, almost curious eyes.

Just admit it hurts, he said softly. Thats all I want to hear.

I didnt give him a single word.

When they finally pulled my hands out, the skin was gone in places, my knuckles raw and exposed, like something dragged back from hell.

I woke up later staring at hands wrapped in dirty bandages, patches of bone faintly visible beneath them.

The night before they sent me back, Cassius grabbed my face, forcing me to look at him.

You know whats amusing? he said gently, almost like we were having a normal conversation. Cassian Valcourt traded his most loyal weapon for a woman. That must be what love looks like in your world.

He tilted his head, smiling like something twisted and pleased.

Tell me, Elira, he continued. How far does he go for that sister of yours?

I stayed silent.

What answer could I possibly give?

That I was discarded without hesitation?

That every wound I carried came from the decision he made without blinking?

By the time the month ended, something inside me had already gone quiet.

Whatever fire had kept me going for eleven years slowly extinguished inside that house.

Cassian owned my life. I had accepted that long agomy loyalty, my body, everything I was. I had been nothing more than a tool in his hands.

And tools dont get to choose.

Unless they break.

Unless they stop functioning.

That was when the thought first formed: I needed to disappear.

When Cassiuss men finally brought me back to Cassians estate, the sun was sinking low. Every step felt like walking through shattered glass, my body barely holding itself together.

But the moment I crossed the gates, Valeria was already there waiting.

She stood surrounded by maids, dressed in soft pale yellow that looked too delicate for the world I had just come from. She looked untouched. Safe. Beautiful in a way I had never been allowed to be.

When she saw me, she smiled.

Sister, she said sweetly, as if nothing had ever gone wrong. Youre back.

Her gaze slowly moved over memy ruined clothes, the bandaged hands, the dried stains on my skin.

You really went through a lot for me, she added lightly. A whole month with Cassius Vale that must have been terrible.

I said nothing.

She tilted her head, covering her mouth as though recalling something amusing. People say he enjoys breaking his toys before hes done with them. I wonder what you went through.

A maid beside her let out a quiet laugh.

Valeria exhaled softly, as if suddenly remembering etiquette.

Oh, right, she said, almost apologetic. You must be dirty.

She clapped once.

Take her in, she instructed lazily. She smells like she crawled out of a slaughterhouse.

Before I could react, a maid stepped forward and threw a bucket of boiling water at me.

It hit my skin instantly, searing through my chest and shoulders.

My body jolted, but I didnt make a sound.

Did it hurt?

Of course it did.

But after what Cassius had done to my hands, pain had started to lose meaning.

Valeria watched in silence for a moment, as if studying a piece of art that wasnt interesting enough.

Youre not reacting at all? she said with a small, almost disappointed smile. Thats boring.

She stepped closer, tilting her head slightly. Then she smiled brightly again, as if deciding the matter was finished.

Good, she said. Youre clean now.

She gestured toward the house.

Come inside, Elira. Dont stand there like you dont belong.

I dragged myself toward the small garden behind the mansionthe only place that had ever felt like mine. Hidden. Quiet. Separate from everything that belonged to Cassians world.

Each step hurt more than the last. My body felt like it might collapse at any moment.

Before I pushed the door open, I swallowed the pill I had gotten earlierthe one meant to erase me.

I leaned against the wall for a moment, breathing unevenly. My clothes were still soaked, my burned skin throbbing beneath the bandages as I began to remove my jacket, trying to clean myself up.

Then the door opened again.

I froze.

Cassian stood in the doorway, framed by the hallway light behind him. Tall. Immaculate. Calm in the way only someone untouchable could be. Black suit, expensive watch, expression unreadable as always.

Eleven years.

And still, my body reacted before my mind could stop it.

What a joke.

Youre back, he said simply, stepping inside as though the space already belonged to him.

It did.

His gaze swept over methe burns, the torn fabric, the blood.

Turn around, he ordered. Let me see.

I didnt resist. Slowly, I turned my back to him.

My shirt shifted enough to reveal what Cassius had donecuts, bruises, deep scars layered across my skin like a record of everything I had survived.

Cassian moved closer. His fingers brushed lightly over a long scar on my back.

What caused this? he asked quietly.

Steel wire whip, I answered.

His hand moved to another mark. And this?

Burning iron.

He paused.

Then his fingers stopped at a fresh burn across my shoulder and neck, still raw and angry.

And this one? his voice changed slightly.

I swallowed. Valeria had someone pour boiling water on me.

His hand went still.

What did you say? he asked, colder now.

I turned just enough to meet his eyes. I said Valeria told them to do it, I repeated evenly. She said I was dirty.

Silence swallowed the room.

And then his expression went completely stillcold in a way that didnt belong to anything human.

You expect me to believe that? he asked in a low, controlled voice.

My chest tightened, but I kept my tone steady. Im only repeating what actually happened.

A short laugh left him, sharp and empty of warmth.

Valeria? he repeated. The same girl who cries over a stray animal? The one who spent the entire day begging me not to send you to Cassius Vale because she was afraid something might happen to you? His expression hardened. I heard she locked herself in her room while you were gone and cried nonstop. She kept saying she wished she could go instead of you. His gaze locked onto mine. And now youre telling me she poured boiling water on you?

My mouth felt dry. Im not making it up.

When did you start lying to me, Elira? His voice dropped, darker now.

I didnt, I said quietly. Ive never lied to you.

He studied me for a moment, like he was trying to see something buried under my skin. Then, without warning, he shoved me hard.

Still insisting on it? he snapped.

I staggered back, nearly losing my balance.

Guards, he called out.

Two men rushed into the backyard immediately.

Twenty lashes, Cassian ordered without looking at me. Here.

The guards hesitated for a fraction of a second. None of them liked laying hands on methey all knew I was usually the one who kept them alive.

But his word was final.

They seized my arms and forced me down onto the wooden bench. I didnt resist. There was no point.

The first strike landed across my back, and pain exploded through my body, tearing into wounds that hadnt even closed.

Cassian stood a short distance away, watching.

Unmoved. Detached.

This is a reminder, he said evenly. Anyone who speaks against Valeria will face the same punishment.

The second lash followed.

Then the third.

I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood. My vision blurred, but my mind kept slipping backward.

I was fifteen the first time I killed someone. My hands wouldnt stop shaking, the knife barely staying steady.

That night, Cassian had held me.

Hey, he said softly. Look at me. Youre fine.

I was scared, I whispered then.

I know, he answered, brushing my head gently. But youre not alone. Im here.

Now he was standing there, watching someone tear me apart.

Fourth strike.

Fifth.

By the time it reached twenty, my entire back felt like it had been set on fire. Blood soaked through my clothes and dripped onto the ground beneath me.

The guards stepped away slowly, and the world tilted into darkness.

Far away, voices drifted in.

The doctor spoke first, his voice unsteady. Mr. Valcourt her pulse is dangerously weak. I dont think she has much time left.

Something shattered.

Glass hit the floor.

What did you just say? Cassians voice turned razor-cold.

The doctor sounded panicked now. Sir, her condition is deteriorating rapidly. The injuries are severeher heartbeat is fading.

Get out, Cassian ordered sharply.

Footsteps hurried out of the room.

Silence settled.

A moment later, the curtain around the bed was pulled aside.

Cassian stood there.

His face was partly in shadow, but his eyes were unmistakably cold. My handsthe same hands that had fought for him for eleven yearsrested uselessly on the blanket.

You swore a blood oath to me, he said slowly. That night, you said if anyone ever hurt you, I would make them regret existing.

His voice lowered.

So tell me, Elira when did you start cooperating with doctors to stage something like this?

I didnt respond.

I closed my eyes instead.

The silence stretched until I felt the air around him shift.

Youre not even going to defend yourself? he said sharply. Do you really think Im that easy to fool?

Still nothing from me.

His steps came closer.

Youve been strange lately, he continued, colder now. But this? Pretending to die for attention? I didnt think youd go this far.

My breathing stayed slow.

I didnt answer.

That only made his anger sharpen.

Fine, he said abruptly.

His voice turned completely void of warmth.

Throw out everything shes being given. All of it. Medications, bandageseverything.

Someone outside hesitated. Sir Valcourt

Did you not hear me? he barked. If she wants to act like this, then she can deal with the consequences herself.

Moments later, I heard drawers being yanked open, bottles being collected, things shoved into a bag.

Then the door slammed.

The sound echoed through the room long after he was gone.

I lay there staring at the ceiling. Every breath pulled pain across my back like fire under the skin.

But pain had stopped being unfamiliar a long time ago.

Just like him hurting me and calling it normal.

As the night deepened, the pain worsened. My body trembled uncontrollably, sweat soaking the sheets. I pressed my teeth into the edge of the blanket to keep from making a sound.

And somewhere between consciousness and exhaustion, my mind drifted backward.

To the first time I was badly injured on a mission.

I had been stabbed. I was bleeding out.

Back then, Cassian stayed by my bedside for three full days. He never left. He even changed my bandages himself.

I still remembered his expression.

Like it hurt him too.

Like my pain meant something.

How foolish I had been.

I thought it meant care.

I thought it meant I mattered.

Morning arrived quietly, and the pain eased just enough for me to breathe without shaking. I had barely closed my eyes again when a knock came at the door.

The butlers voice followed. Miss Kane, Mr. Valcourt has ordered you to the main hall. Youre accompanying him today to fulfill a promise.

Slowly, I pushed myself upright.

Every movement felt like needles driving into my back. My hands shook as I rewrapped my bandages and pulled on a plain black dress.

By the time I reached the main hall, Cassian was already there.

He wore a dark tailored coat, standing beside Valeria as he carefully adjusted a soft scarf around her neck, as if the slightest breeze might harm her.

Valeria stood in a light pink dress, looking bright and untouched.

Beside her, I probably looked like something dragged out of ruins.

Youre here, Cassian said without looking at me.

His tone was flat, almost indifferent.

Stay close to Valeria today. Do your job.

Then he finally glanced at me.

And Elira, he added coldly, if anything happens to her, you wont like what follows.

I lowered my gaze. Yes, sir.

The cars were waiting outside.

Cassian helped Valeria into the back of the Rolls-Royce. I took a motorcycle with the other guards and followed behind.

The road out of the city stayed quiet until the sky suddenly broke open. Rain poured down in heavy sheets, soaking everything within minutes.

Cold water ran down my back, slipping into my bandages, reopening pain I had barely contained.

Warm blood slowly traced my spine beneath the fabric.

Valeria rolled the window down slightly, glancing out.

She looked at me riding through the storm for a moment.

Cassian, she said softly, Elira looks awful. Shes injured, and its raining so hard. Shouldnt she sit inside for a while? Or at least have an umbrella?

For a brief second, I almost laughed.

Cassian didnt even look in my direction.

Shes a bodyguard, he said evenly. Shell manage.

That was all.

Valerias lips curved faintly before she turned away, hiding her smile.

I tightened my grip on the handle and kept riding through the rain.

Right.

Just a bodyguard. Just a tool he could discard whenever it suited him. Even if I disappeared tomorrow, he would probably keep going without a second thought.

The convoy eventually came to a stop near an old mountain church outside the city. It was the kind of place people visited to pray, to make vows they swore they would never break.

But what happened there was nothing anyone expected.

Cassian stepped out of the car without a word and removed his coat. Then, in full view of everyone, he lowered himself onto his knees at the base of the long stone staircase leading up to the church.

The guards reacted immediately, rushing toward him in alarm.

Mr. Valcourt, what are you doing?

His reply was steady, almost detached.

When Valeria was dying, I said Id crawl these steps if she made it through, Cassian said evenly. I dont believe in God. I dont care for faith. But I dont break my word.

Valerias eyes filled at once. Cassian you dont need to do this, she said softly, shaken. That was just something you said in fear. Nobody expected you to actually follow through

But he was already moving.

He bent forward, his forehead striking the stone step with a dull, heavy sound.

Then he rose slightly, climbed one step, and repeated it.

Again. And again.

Each movement forced him to bow against the unforgiving stone. Skin split across his forehead, and blood began to trail down his face, dripping onto the steps. Around the church, murmurs spread quickly through the crowd.

That man

He must love his wife deeply

What a devoted husband

Wife.

That single word cut through my chest more sharply than any blade.

By the time we reached the mountain church grounds, the rain had eased into a soft drizzle.

Cassians knees were stained dark with blood from the climb, but he still insisted on guiding Valeria inside first. He held her hand carefully, as though she might break if he loosened his grip, leading her through the heavy wooden doors.

Inside, the air smelled of wax and burning incense. Valeria liked places like thisquiet spaces where people whispered prayers they hoped would be heard.

Cassian never believed in any of it. Everyone knew that.

But he stood beside her anyway, because she did.

Valeria knelt before the altar and closed her eyes. Her voice came out soft and trembling.

Please keep everyone I love safe.

Cassian didnt kneel. He simply stood behind her, resting a hand lightly on her shoulder.

If praying helps you, he said quietly, then go ahead.

I stayed near the entrance, rainwater still dripping from my hair and soaking through my clothes. The bandages beneath were already damp again, sticking to my skin.

When Valeria finished, the church pastor approached them. He was an older man, visibly nervous but honored to have them there.

Mr. Valcourt, he said respectfully, youve supported this church for years. Were grateful. I wanted to offer something in return.

He gestured toward a wooden table lined with potted plants.

This is a rare mountain orchid. Its said to bring peace and harmony to a home.

Valeria leaned in, admiring it.

Then her attention shifted to another plant nearby.

What about that one? she asked curiously.

The pastor hesitated. That one was already promised to another guest today.

Cassians gaze followed hers.

Nearby, a young wealthy man stepped forward, clearly from some influential family, his demeanor casual and confident.

Thats mine, he said simply.

Cassian studied the plant for a moment longer, then looked at the man.

We can exchange it, he said calmly.

The man blinked. Exchange?

Ill give you my nightclub on 8th Street, Cassian replied. The downtown one.

The mans expression shifted instantly.

Mr. Valcourt that place is worth millions.

Cassian gave a slight shrug, as if it meant nothing at all.

If Valeria wants it, he said flatly, then thats enough reason.

My chest tightened at those words.

So he understood what it meant to love someone.

He just never chose to give that kind of love to me.

The young heir let out an awkward laugh. Well Id be foolish to refuse that.

The pastor quickly passed the plant to Valeria.

She smiled brightly and reached for it.

Then she suddenly gasped.

Ah!

She pulled her hand back sharply. Tiny puncture marks appeared on her wrist.

Everything froze.

A rare red venomous scorpion had hidden beneath the pot and struck her.

Cassians expression changed instantly.

Valeria!

He grabbed her wrist and bent down, pressing his mouth to the wound to suck out the venom.

Dont move! he barked sharply without lifting his head.

Valerias voice shook. Cassian I feel dizzy

I clenched my jaw. I remembered a time years ago when I had been poisonedhe barely glanced at me and only said, Endure it, before walking away.

The doctor rushed in and checked her pulse. The venom is spreading quickly. Theres a rare herb growing on the cliffside that can counteract it, but the terrain is extremely dangerous.

Cassian stood at once. Ill go.

Valeria immediately grabbed his sleeve. No please dont. Its too dangerous. What if something happens to you? I dont want that.

His eyes moved across the room and landed on me.

Elira, he said.

I stepped forward.

Get it, he ordered.

Yes, sir.

The mountain behind the church was steep, wet, and unstable. Rain had made the rocks slick, turning every step into a risk.

I climbed with my bare hands.

Each movement sent sharp pain through my back. My nails scraped against stone, splitting and bleeding as rain mixed with blood and ran down the rock face.

The wind cut through my soaked clothes, clinging coldly to my skin.

At one point, my foot slipped on loose rock.

My body dropped suddenly.

For a brief moment, I thought I would fall straight off the cliff.

My hand shot out and caught a jagged branch embedded in the rock wall just in time.

It pierced straight through my palm.

Pain surged up my arm, but I forced myself not to make a sound.

Keep going.

Just finish it.

Why was I still doing this for him?

The question surfaced briefly, but no answer came.

By the time the sky began to pale with early morning light, I finally spotted the herb growing in a narrow crack in the cliffside.

I carefully pulled it free, gripping it tightly in my bloodied hand. On the way down, my consciousness faded twice.

Blood loss blurred my vision, darkness creeping in at the edges, but my body kept moving anyway. By the time I reached the church grounds again, the sun had already risen.

My legs nearly gave out beneath me.

But I still held the herb.

I handed it to Cassian, my hands trembling and soaked in blood. He didnt even look at mehe simply took it and passed it to the doctor.

Prepare it. Now.

I leaned against the doorframe, gasping for air, my entire body aching from exhaustion, injury, and rain.

The doctor boiled the herb into a bitter-smelling solution while Valeria sat nearby, staring at it nervously. Cassian crouched beside her.

Drink it, he said softly. I know it tastes awful, but itll save you. Dont fight it. You want to live, dont you?

Valeria shook her head, tears falling. I cant its disgusting

He studied her for a moment, then without hesitation drank the medicine himself. Before I could react, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, transferring it mouth by mouth.

Like this, he murmured. Its fine. Just a little at a time. Thats it

I froze.

My chest tightened so hard it felt like it might collapse. I wanted to look away, to move, to disappearbut I couldnt.

Something inside me cracked deeper than any wound on my back.

Then she finally swallowed it all.

Cassian immediately stood and called out orders to the guards.

Move out. Stay alert. Now.

The gunfire started seconds later.

Ambush!